(BLOOMINGTON) - A committee has been appointed to identify candidates for the position of dean for the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington.

Among other important strategic roles, the dean leads the school's research mission; oversees the creation of new departments, programs and partnerships; and advances international partnerships and agreements.

John Graham, dean of the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs, will chair the committee, which was appointed by Provost and Executive Vice President Lauren Robel.

In July, the School of Public Health's founding dean, Mohammad R. Torabi, decided to step down from his administrative role by June 2017, when he will return to the School of Public Health faculty and his own research. Among other topics, his research centers on the measurement and evaluation of school and public health education programs and factors associated with health behavior.

"Dean Torabi is a wonderful leader, and I am grateful for his leadership in ushering the School of Public Health through a rigorous accreditation process," Robel said. "I am so pleased that he will be able to return to his research and remain with our faculty as our colleague."

The committee includes representatives of faculty, staff and students at IU Bloomington. In addition to Graham, they include:

Rodrigo X. Armijos, associate professor of environmental health, School of Public Health

Aurelian Bidulescu, associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics, School of Public Health